Shloka 26

Varaha-Pradurbhava Context: Prahlada’s Bhakti, Narasimha’s Ugra-Form, and Shiva’s Sharabha Intervention

Devanagari script

द्विजशापच्छलेनैवम् अवतीर्णो ऽसि लीलया न दृष्टं यत्त्वदन्यं हि भवान् सर्वं चराचरम्

Transliteration

dvijaśāpacchalenaivam avatīrṇo 'si līlayā na dṛṣṭaṃ yattvadanyaṃ hi bhavān sarvaṃ carācaram

Translation

ദ്വിജന്റെ ശാപം എന്ന നിമിത്തത്തിൽ നീ ലീലാപൂർവ്വം അവതരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. നിന്നൊഴികെ മറ്റൊന്നും ദൃശ്യമല്ല; ചരവും അചരവും എല്ലാം നീ തന്നേ.

Word by Word

• द्विज (dvija): twice-born, brāhmaṇa

• शाप (śāpa): curse

• छल (chala): pretext, guise

• एवम् (evam): thus

• अवतीर्णः (avatīrṇaḥ): descended, incarnated

• असि (asi): you are

• लीलया (līlayā): playfully, by divine sport

• न (na): not

• दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam): seen, found to exist

• यत् (yat): that which

• त्वत्-अन्यं (tvad-anyam): other than you

• हि (hi): indeed

• भवान् (bhavān): you (reverential)

• सर्वम् (sarvam): all

• चर-अचरम् (cara-acaram): moving and unmoving (the entire cosmos)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal eulogy addressed to Shiva within the Purana’s dialogue frame)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It grounds Linga-worship in non-dual Shaiva insight: the Linga signifies Pati (Shiva) as the all-pervading reality—nothing exists outside Him—so worship becomes recognition of Shiva in all chara–achara.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is presented as the totality of existence—both manifest (moving beings) and unmanifest/steady (immobile reality). His ‘descent’ is not compulsion but līlā, a freely assumed manifestation that does not limit His supremacy.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied Pāśupata-oriented takeaway is Shiva-darśana: training the mind to perceive all phenomena as Pati’s manifestation, loosening pāśa (bondage) on the paśu (individual soul) through devotion and contemplative recognition.